


Home is Where My Ghost is

by Yeoyou



Category: Julie and The Phantoms (TV)
Genre: Family Feels, First Date, Fluff, M/M, Post-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:21:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,939
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26815024
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yeoyou/pseuds/Yeoyou
Summary: After the magical group hug, Alex goes to check on Willie, tries to figure out their relationship during an impromptu trip to Paris, and wonders how this new family works.Set in the happy oblivious bubble between group hug magic and Caleb's neferious plans being revealed because I just needed some fluff!
Relationships: Alex/Willie (Julie and The Phantoms)
Comments: 27
Kudos: 227





	Home is Where My Ghost is

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Black_Dwarf](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Black_Dwarf/gifts).



> This probably has already been done plenty but that just means more cake for everybody, right?
> 
> Full disclosure: I'm neither a teenager nor a native speaker so I hope the dialogues feel realistic. And a warning: everybody is grinning entirely too much in this story because they're just a bunch of happy puppies!
> 
> And I'm awful at coming up with titles so apologies to the Reggie fans for stealing this one for a Willex story ...

“Willie!” Alex sighed with relief as he spotted the familiar figure on the skateboard. He hadn't been sure where he'd find his friend, had been terrified that Caleb had done something to him in punishment for the boys' escape. But here he was, skating around the same museum he'd brought Alex to just a few weeks earlier.

Willie skidded to a halt at the sound of Alex's voice and when he turned, Alex caught the emotions playing over his face: hope, disbelief, and relief.

Despite his bravado at their goodbye in front of the Orpheum, he could not actually have believed to be seeing Alex and the guys ever again. That had been the whole idea, after all. To cross over and leave this (after)life behind.

“Alex!”

Willie grabbed his board and rushed over to him and Alex couldn't hide the wide grin stretching over his face. He still felt somewhat glowy and if there was blood to rush through his body, it was definitely pumped full with adrenaline. And seeing Willie just increased his level of excitement.

As he reached him, Willie let the board drop to the ground unceremoniously and got hold of Alex's forearms instead.

“You're ...” His face fell. “You didn't cross over! But that means ...”

“No, yeah, we didn't cross over but it's alright.”

Willie's face scrunched up in confusion.

Alex dragged him over to the same bench they'd moved at their last visit; it was still in the same spot.

“What happened?” Willie was still grabbing his arms as if wanting to make sure that he was really there, and Alex wasn't about to complain.

“Okay so, we played the Orpheum, right? And it was _amazing_! We totally rocked that place! But when the gig was over, we were still there, so ... apparently it hadn't been our unfinished business? The jolts were getting pretty bad again, too. Weirdly, they never happened when we played with Julie so maybe that should have been our first clue. But anyway.” Alex flipped his hair back that kept falling into his face in his excitement. “So we knew we were running out of time but we also knew we wouldn't go back to Caleb.”

Willie was nodding along, still clearly confused.

“We didn't know where to go so poofed back to the garage. The guys said it was the closest to home we had and Julie would surely go straight to bed after the gig. We didn't want her to know it hadn't worked, you see. I mean _I_ knew she'd come out there but I guess this once it's a good thing nobody ever listens to me because of course she came and found us practically dying (again) in her studio and then it all just got weird, man!”

Alex still couldn't wrap his head around it. He had so many _questions_!

“What happened?” Willie shook his arm to get his attention back.

“Sorry. Okay, so ... we were getting jolted every second, right? And Julie was panicking and trying to persuade us to accept Caleb's deal and there were tears and everything – I mean, from Luke and Julie, not that _I_ was crying!” He pushed his hair out of his face again with a huffed laugh. “Anyway. So then Luke practically made a love confession to Julie? I mean, he didn't say 'I love you' but he said 'no music is worth it if we're not making it with you' which, if you ask _me_ , is basically the same thing and then she hugged him? I mean, really, physically hugged him? And then he glowed? And Julie waved Reggie and me over to join the hug and, well it did feel _really_ good but not just the hug part but, I don't know. Then we all glowed? And our stamps vanished and we hugged some more and so, yeah ...that's about it,” he finished, watching Willie excitedly who still seemed mostly confused.

“Julie could touch you?”

“Yes!”

“And the stamps vanished?”

“Yes!”

“So you're ... safe?”

“I think so, yeah.” Alex beamed and slowly, Willie began to smile, too. And then he threw his arms around Alex, who froze for a moment before hugging him back, burying his face in Willie's shoulder.

“I'm so glad you're safe,” Willie murmured and Alex held him tighter.

“I ...uh,” Alex cleared his throat and reluctantly disentangled himself from the other ghost. “I have to get back to the boys soon but I just had to check on you.” He studied Willie. ”Are you okay?”

“Me? Yeah, why wouldn't I be?” Willie put on a smile but Alex could tell it was mostly bravado.

“I was really worried that Caleb would hurt you.”

Alex fumbled with the cuffs of his shirt, missing the pouch of his hoodie.

Willie frowned and looked down as well.

“No, he ... he just let me go.” He glanced over at Alex. “Maybe he thinks you did cross over? I .. don't really know much about how that whole stamp thing works. I'm sorry.”

Alex sensed that Willie still felt guilty for bringing them to Caleb. He bumped his shoulder.

“Don't worry, we'll figure it out. I'm just glad you're alright!”

Willie smiled gratefully and, after a moment, bumped his shoulder in return.

“By the way,” he grinned, “you look pretty sharp, man.”

Alex stretched out his arms and studied his suit sleeves. “Yeah, I think I'll keep the outfit.”

* * *

“So all this time you've been a ghost and you haven't been outside of Hollywood yet? Dude, _the whole world_ is open to you.”

Alex squirmed a little. “If you put it like that, it sounds really stupid ... “

Willie grinned and wiggled his eyebrows. “Nah bro, it just means I'm the first who gets to show you Paris!”

“What?” Alex gasped but had no time to process the thought before Willie took his hand and poofed them out. He stumbled a bit upon landing, steadying himself on Willie's arm, and then caught his breath.

“This ... this is _the real Eiffel Tower_!”

Willie grinned. “Yes it is.”

“In Paris! We're in Paris!”

Alex tipped his head back, marvelling at the structure in front of them. It had been afternoon in L.A. but the sun was already low over Paris and the Eiffel Tower was awash with lights.

Alex grabbed Willie's arm tighter.

“Dude, we're in Paris!”

The other ghost laughed. “Sorry we can't try the snails, but come on, let's get a view of the city first and then I'll show you all my favourite places.”

Alex nodded, beaming at Willie, and they both teleported to the top of the Eiffel Tower.

“This is _amazing_!”

The view was spectacular, all the lights sparkling below them, the dark band of the Seine lazily curving its way through the city. Alex caught half a dozen different languages being spoken by the people around them but he only cared for the guy standing right next to him, leaning precariously over the railing and whooping out loud with sheer joy. Watching Willie being his usual carefree self again, Alex felt the familiar butterflies fluttering in his stomach.

“Come on!” Willie waved him over and Alex hesitated only for a moment before shrugging. “Okay.”

He stepped up next to Willie, took his hands out of his pockets and grabbed the railing for support as he leaned out and yelled, revelling in still being here, with Willie at his side, in Paris, and that things would only get better from here on out. They just had to!

“Okay, so this last stop? Maybe my favourite spot in all of Paris.”

Alex's mind was filled to the brim with all the impressions of the city and all the sights Willie had shown him, but he was ready for more if it meant that this day would never end. He offered his hand for one more teleportation à la ghost and Willie took it without hesitation, grinning at him.

When Alex realised where Willie had brought him, he chuckled.

“It's a museum!”

Willie scoffed in mock outrage. “Dude, it's _the_ museum! Never heard of the Louvre?”

The museum must have just announced closing time because there were masses of people all streaming in the direction of the exits. Alex felt a bit squeamish about all the bodies passing through his own, incorporeal form, but Willie just grabbed his hand and dragged him against the throng of visitors, Alex stumbling after him.

They soon found themselves in quieter regions where the people had already left and they only encountered a few museum guards every now and then, who were, of course, oblivious to their presence.

“This place is crazy!”

Alex was craning his neck this way and that, trying to take everything in at once but it was just too much. The architecture was just as mind blowing as the art and Alex knew that one visit definitely wouldn't be enough. But then, the whole trip had felt like a teaser trailer, tantalising glances of places he'd want to spend much more time exploring. With Willie, ideally, but he also couldn't wait to show the guys around. Why had they stuck just to Hollywood all this time when cities like Paris lay just a short teleportation away? He was definitely okay with these ghosts skills now!

Willie and he wandered through the museum, Alex gaping at all the sights while Willie seemed to be just happy that Alex enjoyed himself. Then Alex spotted a familiar sight.

“Is that the real Mona Lisa?”

“Yep, the very same.”

“She's smaller than I thought she'd be.”

Willie chuckled. “At least we can have a good look at her. Most lifers never get that close.”

Alex turned to his friend and felt definitely too many emotions swirling inside of him, when he saw the smile on Willie's face. He decided to articulate the easiest at least. It had been on the tip of his tongue all night and this seemed the right moment: “Thank you. For bringing me here.”

Willie grinned and shrugged.

“Told you, anything for you.”

Alex swallowed and narrowed his eyes.

“Yeah, about that ...” He hated how high his voice got whenever he was nervous but ploughed on nevertheless. “Is this just two guys hanging out or ...?”

Willie shrugged again.

“Could be.”

Alex's hands were sweating and the Mona Lisa's stare prickled on his neck. Why did this have to be so difficult?!

“No, I meant ...” He stuffed his hands back into his hoodie pouch to keep them from flailing aimlessly around.

A smile played around Willie's lips. “I know what you meant.” The smile widened into the full-blown dimpled grin that made Alex so weak in the knees. “Look, I've been calling you hot since we met so I assumed you knew ...” He made a vague gesture with his hand and wiggled his eyebrows.

“You ... what? No! I would have noticed that!”

“You sure, _hot_ dog?”

“What? But that's ...”

Willie took a step closer and Alex gulped.

“You're pretty new to flirting, huh?”

“Maybe?” Alex eventually croaked. He scrunched up his face. “Is it that obvious?”

“Totally.” Willie grinned and then slowly took Alex's hand in his, playing with his fingers. “I ... didn't want to rush things. And then there was the whole Caleb/cross over thing so ...” He averted his eyes.

Following an impulse, Alex pulled Willie closer by their still entwined hands, which got the other ghost to look up at him again in hopeful surprise. He swallowed, his throat suddenly feeling very dry and devoid of ghost saliva.

“Well, now we've got all the time in the world, don't we?”

“I guess we do.” The hope shining in Willie's eyes resurrected a lot of butterflies in Alex's stomach.

“So this is a date,” Alex clarified.

Willie smiled and playfully flicked Alex's necklace. “Best date ever or what?”

Alex gulped and caught his breath. “Definitely. Yeah.”

* * *

Afterlife was good and just getting better. Willie and Alex had been on several more dates – _actual dates!_ He was still freaking out about that – though keeping it more 'real' after Paris “to keep the magic alive” – Willie's words. They'd already discussed some other destinations and trips they wanted to make though. But Alex had made it clear that the band had to stay his first priority. He owed them everything and they relied on them and he would not let them down. Especially after the school dance debacle! Willie had been entirely cool with that, which only made Alex fall that much harder for him.

And the fact that Julie and the guys had all eagerly agreed when he'd asked whether he could invite Willie over to band practice made his happiness complete. The love and support he got from Luke, Reggie, and Julie was overwhelming, especially after his parents’ lack thereof. It just hammered home that this was his true family!

Still, when the day came and Willie arrived in the studio, he was pretty nervous about these two important aspects of his life colliding. Sure, Luke and Reggie had already met Willie, so that was nothing new but now he was Alex's boyfriend and so things had changed quite a bit.

And Alex did not handle change well. Even if this was a freaking fantastic change!

But Luke and Reggie did not disappoint. It helped that Willie was completely relaxed and greeted the guys as if nothing was different and so Luke and Reggie followed his example, and Alex was the only one nervous and insecure. To the hilarity of all three other ghosts.

“Hey! This is a first for me, okay?” Alex protested.

Willie grinned and put his arm around him. Casually, as if this was absolutely normal, which it sorta had become, but only when they were alone, so this just made Alex blush. Luke and Reggie elbowed each other, exchanging looks and grins, and Alex was glad when Willie dropped his arm again after an affectionate squeeze.

He was even more relieved when Julie showed up.

“Sorry guys, that stupid math homework took longer than expected and you know I promised Dad 'School first.'” She rolled her eyes but grinned at them.

“So, is Willie coming?”

_Oh._

The ghosts looked at each other. Somehow, it had never occurred to them that Julie might not be able to see Willie. They were so used to her seeing them that the thought that Willie could be different never entered their head.

“Uhm, he's already here.” Reggie nodded towards Willie who was still standing next to Alex.

“Oh.” Julie deflated, seeming just as surprised as they were that she couldn't see him. “Uh, ...hi” She waved in his general direction. “Nice to meet you?” She looked at her bandmates. “Guess the ghost-seeing contract is just with you guys then, huh?”

Alex tried to push the disappointment down, telling himself he should have expected it. This was, after all, how this whole ghost thing was supposed to work. Lifers couldn't see ghosts. Unless Caleb made them visible. Or whatever this thing with Julie and them was.

He glanced over at Willie who seemed to take it the best of all of them, probably because he hadn't actually expected to be visible to Julie.

He nodded encouragingly at Alex. “Tell her I'm glad to meet her too.”

Alex struggled for cheerfulness and repeated Willie's words.

Julie smiled at the space somewhat left of Willie and then Reggie cleared his throat. “So, band practice?”

They all eagerly agreed, trying to move past the awkwardness.

After Willie had sat down, and Julie had been made aware of his new location, they all settled in with their respective instruments.

“You ready?” Alex asked, waiting to count the band in.

Willie grinned. “Rock it, hot dog.”

The guys sniggered, while Alex groaned, but ever since Paris, the hated nickname was slightly less annoying.

“What?” Julie looked from Alex to the guys to where she'd been told Willie was sitting, clearly feeling left out.

“Nothing,” Alex mumbled though feeling sorry for Julie who probably started to get an inkling of how her bestie Flynn usually felt when the guys were around. Like getting only one side of a phone call but so much more annoying.

At least once they started playing, his anxiety was calming down. It took them a bit longer than usual to hit their groove but then they were on fire and watching Willie watching them was exhilarating. He was clearly having a good time, barely able to keep in his chair, tapping along to the beat with hands and feet, and Alex was sure he'd never played this good.

After they'd gone through their current set, Willie was full of praise and Alex, Luke, and Reggie beamed, while trying to convey Willie's words to Julie in between, who looked happy to hear Willie had liked their music but still uncomfortable with the whole being-unable-to-see-him thing.

Alex put his sticks down and went over to where Willie was sitting, settling on the armrest of his chair and when Willie put his arm around him this time, he felt nothing but happy.

“Whoa!”

Julie had started back and when they all turned to her in confusion, they realised that she was looking at Willie. Directly at Willie!

“You ... can you see me?” Willie was as startled as the rest of them.

Julie just nodded, then her glance travelled along Willie's arm to Alex. She narrowed her eyes. “Alex, get up for a second.”

Alex complied and Julie's eyes widened. Then she shook her head and chuckled.

“Yeah, okay, you apparently have to touch him.”

“Oh, he'll have no problem with _that_ ,” Luke quipped with a grin.

Alex rolled his eyes but sat down again, leaning against Willie who bumped lightly against him, smiling up at him. Then Willie switched his focus back to Julie.

“And you can hear me, too, when Alex and I are touching?”

“Yes. I don't know why but ...”

“Who cares why? This is awesome!” Luke was bouncing on his feet.

“Oh! Let me try something!” Reggie dragged Alex away from the armrest and settled onto the now vacant space himself, putting his arm around Willie's shoulder, whose eyebrow twitched for a moment but who then draped a loose arm around Reggie too, with a bemused smile, both of them looking expectantly at Julie. Alex tried not to feel conflicted about that scene, instead focusing on just being happy that the boys accepted Willie so readily.

“Yeah, that works too.” Julie was frowning, still trying to puzzle out the why. Then she shrugged, grinned and waved at Willie. “Well, it is nice to finally _see_ you!”

Willie chuckled. “Whatever this magic is you've got working, I do _like_ it!”

Everybody grinned until Alex finally plucked on Reggie's jacket.

“Okay. Can I have my boyfriend back, now?”

They all laughed. Reggie threw up his hands in mock surrender and got up again, switching places with Alex. Willie nestled closer to him with a grin and Alex put a proprietary arm around his shoulder.

“You two make a cute couple.” Julie was beaming at them and though both he and Willie blushed, Alex nodded.

“Yeah, we do.”

They sat around talking for a while, marvelling at whatever magic tied Julie to the boys and vice versa, until Julie was called in to dinner and left them with obvious regret – Ray had recently discovered the joys of cooking and though some of the recipes he tried where total successes, he was still early enough in his cooking career that you never quite knew what you were getting yourself into at the dinner table.

“So, when did you die?” Reggie had his chin propped up on his hand and looked expectantly at Willie.

“Reggie,” Alex hissed and glared at his friend.

But Willie just shrugged, seemingly not offended by the question.

“I died in '79. Traffic accident.”

“ _'79?!_ ”

The boys looked at each other.

“Dude, that's one year after we were _born_!” Luke finally exclaimed.

“This is weird,” Reggie commented in an under-tone and Alex could only agree with him.

He'd known that Willie had been a ghost for longer than they had but had never really thought about how long.

“How old were you?” Alex was grateful that Luke asked the question.

“Just turned eighteen.” Willie seemed as relaxed as always, obviously not thinking it a big deal.

Reggie scrunched his face up. “So you're simultaneously one year, seventeen and,” he did some quick calculations, “ _forty-two_ years older than us?!”

Willie shrugged. “It doesn't really work that way with ghosts. I was eighteen when I died and I'm still eighteen.” He glanced over to Alex by his side, brow furrowed in worry when he noticed the confusion on Alex’s face.

“This is ... a lot to process,” Alex murmured. Still, he didn't move and made no motion to shake off Willie's hand on his knee.

Luke got up, dragging Reggie with him.

“Uh, we should probably leave you two alone...” He waved his hand but before they could disappear, Alex shook his head.

“No, wait.”

“You sure?”

Alex nodded and Luke and Reggie sat down again hesitatingly.

He wasn't sure why, but Alex felt easier facing this conversation with his friends by his side, knowing they'd have his back no matter what.

“So you've always felt eighteen? Still feel eighteen?”

Willie nodded.

“Guess never having to pay rent or taxes will do that,” Reggie mumbled, letting out a small “ouch” when Luke elbowed him.

“So we'll never feel anything else than seventeen either?”

His boyfriend shrugged. “I don't know. I don't really talk a lot with other ghosts.” He played with the hem of his shirt, looking down. “Caleb doesn't seem to feel any older and he's been around since the 20's. The last 20's that is.” He looked up again. “When you're no longer tied to anything, time becomes ... meaningless. I mean, you notice it passing but ten years may just as well be one year. It's hard to explain.” He looked from Alex to the others and back again. “Maybe it'll be different for you guys because you're together?”

Alex exchanged glances with Luke and Reggie.

“Obviously what happened to you was tragic but in a way you were also lucky. People usually die alone. So most ghosts are pretty lonely. ” It hurt to see the usually so cheerful and confident ghost looking so dejected. “They either find other ghosts or hurry to finish their business. Otherwise ... well, there have been ghosts that just faded away eventually because they couldn't interact with anybody. But you guys have each other and Julie and you can be seen and heard by lifers when you make music together so ...you've got your family.”

Alex knew that he was still not entirely finished working through the whole time/age thing but it didn't change how much he cared for Willie. That much was clear. He pulled him closer.

“You've got us, too, now.”

Willie looked up gratefully.

“Yeah,” Luke nodded. “As long as you're dating Alex, you're a part of this family, too!”

“Just don't hurt him,” Reggie warned with a raised finger, “or we'll become some truly vengeful spirits!”

“Right!” Luke agreed and Alex felt more grateful to the guys than he could ever express.

Willie, too, was obviously struggling with some powerful emotions.

“Group hug?” Alex ventured and was greeted with enthusiastic nods.

Willie wasn't the only one sniffling a bit as the four guys formed a tight circle, arms thrown around each other.

“Group hugs are magic,” Reggie sighed contentedly.

Alex nodded, pressing closer to Willie by his side.

“Definitely. Yeah!”

**Author's Note:**

> So in one of the bts bits (don't remember which), the costume designer said Willie was from the 70s/80s which threw me a bit but given how COVID-19 has totally screwed up my already non-existant time perception, I'm absolutely ready to believe that ghosts don't really age.


End file.
